A Point in Time: ところ

The word ところ means “place”. Used in this way we can form sentences like the following.

私わたしは改札機かいさつきを出でたところで待まっているよ。

I’m waiting just outside the ticket gates.

However, it can also be used to refer to a specific point in time, a moment, or a state. Let’s look at its temporal usages.

The 3 Stages of Time (Before, During, After)

These usages are typically JLPT N4 level. By changing the tense of the verb that comes before ところ, we can precisely pinpoint what stage of an action we are in.

1. Dictionary Form + ところ (Just about to start)

ごめん！今いま、電車でんしゃに乗のるところなんで、あと１０分ぷん電話でんわをかけ直なおしてもいい？

Sorry! I’m about to get on the train. Do you mind if I call you back in 10 minutes?

Note the usage of なの (なん) in the first clause to emphasize the reason why we need to call the person back in 10 minutes.

2. Te-iru Form + ところ (Right in the middle of doing)

Used with the present continuous (te-iru) form, it means that you are currently at the exact point of doing something.

在庫ざいこがあるかどうかを確認かくにんしているところです。

I’m (right in the middle of) checking whether or not we have any stock.

3. Ta Form + ところ (Just finished doing)

面接めんせつが終おわったところだよ。

The interview has just finished.

As a Conjunction: “Upon doing A, I discovered B”

This usage is typically JLPT N3 level. Another major usage is connecting two clauses. The basic structure is:

【Verb (Past Tense)】ところ、【Clause 2】

When the subsequent clause is a statement of fact, then ところ can be used to mean “Upon doing A, I discovered B”. Used in this way as a conjunction, ところ is written in hiragana and does not take a particle.

電車でんしゃが出発しゅっぱつしたところ、財布さいふを忘わすれたことに気付きづいた。

At the moment the train departed, I realised that I’d forgotten my wallet.

オフィスに戻もどってきたところ、お客きゃくさんから電話でんわがかかってきた。

The moment I came back to the office, I got a phone call from a customer.

アップデートをインストールしたところ、インターネットに繋つながらなくなった。

As soon as I installed the update, I could no longer connect to the internet.

書類しょるいの内容ないようを確認かくにんしたところ、応募者おうぼしゃの電話番号でんわばんごうが記載きさいされていなかった。

When I checked the document, the applicant’s telephone number wasn’t on there.

健康診断けんこうしんだんの結果けっかに目めを通とおしたところでは、特とくに心配しんぱいすることはなかったですよ。

I took a quick look at your health checkup results, and based on that, there’s nothing to worry about.

In the last example sentence, the では adds emphasis that the opinion is based only on a brief glance at the result.

Targeting “Moments” with Particles

This usage is typically JLPT N3 level. Because ところ acts as a noun representing a “moment in time,” it can be targeted by particles like に, へ, or を if an action interrupts or affects that specific moment.

寝ねているところを、母ははに起おこされた。

I was woken up by my mother right in the middle of sleeping.

You use を in the above example because your “state of sleeping” is the direct object being interrupted by your mother’s action. When you use を with ところ, you are marking that specific moment as the direct object of the verb that follows. It usually implies that the state was interrupted, caught, saved, or acted upon directly.

To see why を is used, it helps to look at the active version of the sentence:

母ははは [私わたしが寝ねているところ] を 起おこした。

My mother woke up [my state of sleeping]

Put another way, the verb 起こす (to wake someone up) directly targets and destroys your state of sleep. Because it directly acts upon you, it requires the direct object particle を. You cannot use に because you don’t “wake someone up at/towards a destination.” To make the point clearer, it the following examples using ところに may help:

寝ねているところに、母ははが来きた。

Right while I was sleeping, my mother came into the room.

家いえを出でようとしたところに、雨あめが降ふり出だした。

Just as I was about to leave the house, it started to rain.